Councillors clashed over budget plans that will see Enfield residents’ council tax bills rise once again over the next financial year.

Members of the borough’s Conservative Group said they would scrap a 1.99 per cent rise in core council tax and aim to reverse “unpopular” service cuts, as they accused the Labour administration of wasting money.

But Labour councillors defended their budget plans as “sound” and “sustainable”, arguing they would protect vulnerable people from funding cuts made by the Tory government in Westminster.

The debate took place at a meeting of the full council on Wednesday (February 26).

Enfield’s budget for 2020-21 features a 1.99 per cent increase in core council tax and a 2 per cent rise in a “precept” designed solely to fund adult social care.

On top of this, there will be a 3.6 per cent climb in a separate council tax levy by the Greater London Authority.

Despite the tax hike, the council will need to make savings of more than £9 million over the course of the year.

Cabinet member for finance and procurement Cllr Mary Maguire (Labour, Palmers Green), told Wednesday’s meeting the council would continue to invest in services to protect the most vulnerable.

This includes an extra £10.5 million to deal with increased demand for adult social care, £1.5 million for additional social workers in children’s services, and £500,000 to tackle youth violence.

Cllr Maguire said: “Our aim has been to set a resilient and sustainable budget that is not reliant on one-off resources and protects the most vulnerable in the borough.”

But Conservative leader Cllr Joanne Laban (Highlands) said: “After ten years of Labour in control, the only things to show for it are higher council tax, borrowing at record levels, fewer services and an administration that likes to waste public money.”

The Tory leader claimed the council wasted £1 million a year on security for vacant buildings, £100,000 on a staff survey and more than £100,000 on hospitality.

Cllr Edward Smith (Conservative, Cockfosters) said the Tories supported the administration’s extra money for adult social care and spending to tackle youth violence, but his party would double the resources available to counter the threat posed by gangs.

The Conservatives would also reverse “unpopular” changes from weekly to fortnightly refuse and recycling services “if, and only if, sufficient savings could be found”, Cllr Smith said.

He added: “We believe the council tax increase is of 1.99 per cent is unjustified, because … it would be perfectly possible to find additional savings if there was the will to do so.”

But council leader Cllr Nesil Caliskan (Labour, Jubilee) said: “It is hopeless from the opposition. They have not even tabled an alternative budget this year.

“This is a budget that is not only sound, resilient and detailed, but also, to its core, reflective of proper Labour values.”

Cllr Caliskan said the budget was informed by “a politics that says we don’t steady along and accept decline, even when our budgets are under attack by the Tories, so that we invest in our communities using the money that we do have for our residents”.

She added: “This Labour council won’t turn our back on our communities, whichever part of the borough they live in.”

The Conservatives voted against several recommendations in the 2020-21 budget report, but it was passed on the back of votes by members of the majority Labour Group.